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Sleep

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Original poster

How to get DD to carry on sleeping when pram stops?

22 replies

pleasethanks · 11/02/2011 13:50

My DD (4.5 months) pings awake 99% of the time that I stop moving the pram. This is getting rather restrictive as I have to be home for her naps. Does anyone else have any experience of this and did you manage to 'train't them out of it? if so, HOW?

thanks

OP posts:

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Chil1234 · 11/02/2011 17:16

I don't understand... they're asleep in the pram and then you come home and want them to nap afterwards? Could they finish their nap in the pram if you rocked it?

beancounting · 11/02/2011 17:50

DD does this, in that I can push her in her pram (either inside or outside) until she falls asleep (still the only guaranteed method of getting her to nap and she's 7 mo now), yet the minute I stop/go into a shop etc she wakes up. It's a pain because it would be nice not to have to pace the streets for hours each day. She's the same in the car, traffic jams are a nightmare .

I don't really have an answer because she still does it sometimes, but the following have worked on occasion so might be worth a try:

slowing the pushing down very slooooowly until it eventually stops
pulling the cover on the pushchair down more so she can't see out (I think she stirs, opens her eyes and then closes them when she can't see anything interesting)
starting the whole enterprise with the radio on in the background (if I'm at home obviously!) so the noise level remains constant (so she doesn't seem to notice the movement stopping quite so much)
working out when she usually wakes up (with DD this is after the 1st 30 minutes) and making sure I'm pushing her for 5 minutes or so around this point to lull her back to sleep from the light waking.

Good luck!

Orissiah · 14/02/2011 09:58

I just kept pushing the pram, tbh. I used to walk for an hour or more, in rain, snow and sun so DD could nap - I was extremely fit! In her second year she stopped napping so, with hindsight, it wasn't such a big deal for me.

CountBapula · 14/02/2011 10:14

My DS does this and also wakes as soon as you go into a shop, which is deeply irritating. I did manage to get him to stay asleep in Sainsbury's the other day by tucking my iPhone into the pram next to him playing this white noise track I have - it's supposed to be wave sounds, but it actually sounds like traffic on a wet road! Not sure would work if pram not moving though.

Bumperlicious · 14/02/2011 10:45

I know this feeling, same with the car too, I dread getting stuck behind a bus or stopping at traffic lights.

stargirl30 · 15/02/2011 13:49

They might be waking up because they are not quite in deep enough sleep, try leaving at least 20 mins between them nodding off and you stopping.
It does get better - DD will still only nap in pushchair but at least now I can come home as soon as she's asleep

Original poster

pleasethanks · 15/02/2011 14:16

Yes, I swear she senses the difference in the ground as soon as I go into a shop. PING. So blinking restrictive. I recognise some of these names from the thread about how to get your LO to nap when out!

OP posts:

stargirl30 · 15/02/2011 14:18

She will get better, I promise.

You could try pushing the pram backwards and forwards in shops, see if that helps. Does having the raincover on make a difference?
I used to be so jealous of all those mums in starbucks with their sleeping children!

Original poster

pleasethanks · 15/02/2011 14:44

Stargirl I have tried the pushing etc in shops, but even as we cross the threshold into the shop the eyes pop open! Raincover occasionally buys me a little more time! Have ordered a blackout from amazon to see if that helps.

I do get v v jealous of mums out having a coffee with a sleeping baby. Everything has to be timed around my DD's naps...

OP posts:

Orissiah · 16/02/2011 08:59

"Everything has to be timed around my DD's naps..." Oh I remember those days well - I couldn't even go to parent & baby/toddler groups because they clashed with my DD's naps and she would not sleep if the pram was parked.

She's 2.5 now and all naps have stopped making our days completely flexible! Those early napping months fly by so take heart from this!

MarthaFarquhar · 16/02/2011 09:09

both my dds have only slept in the buggy on the strict condition that it is moving. quickly. never found a solution.

can you compromise and have one or two days each week where you sod the naps so you can get out a bit? i find that one day of crappy napping does make for general grumpy overtiredness, but doesn't throw the next day out as long as I stay home that day.

Original poster

pleasethanks · 16/02/2011 09:11

I have, on occasion, thrown the naps out the window and it is hell for everyone come night time. she is beside herself with overtiredness and takes ages to settle and the next day is pretty hellish too!

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mewkins · 16/02/2011 20:35

I have to keep pushing like a lunatic or else she wakes up. I find this bizarre as she can fall asleep happily on her own in her cot and stay asleep but naps in the pram seem to be reliant upon it moving!

Have read somewhere that you could try doing a whole pre-nap routine regardless of whether you are putting your LO down in cot or pram and that may encourage your DD to stay asleep as technically she is kind of getting there on her own. Have no idea if this works. I'm back to work now and so every day is different for my DD
xx

Zimm · 16/02/2011 21:44

OP - you are so lucky you LO naps in the house, I would give my right foot for that....

As for pram stoppage, raincover can help, as can rocking the pram from side to side when in shops...But seriously, I am so jealous, I, too am a street pacer...

InmaculadaConcepcion · 18/02/2011 20:38

Another one with a moving pram (in her case, buggy) napper here.

DD has two naps a day (although I'm thinking about experimenting with moving her to one...she's just coming up to 13 months) and I quite enjoy doing one nap, but on the days when DH can't do the other one, I feel pretty knackered. We're also hoping to have DC2 very soon, so I don't want to be tramping the streets while pg - never mind the energy levels, my bladder would never last!!

I was toying with the idea of this

Original poster

pleasethanks · 18/02/2011 21:15

Well the cot naps have gone tits up, so I have been out walking for a combined total of 4 hours today so she sleeps. God, how I will tell her all about this when she is older. My legs are killing me.

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mamasmissionimpossible · 18/02/2011 22:07

I pushed my dd for 3 years around in her pushchair to get her to sleep. as she would not sleep without movement. She is finally given up napping now.

Ceecee1982 · 09/05/2018 18:11

Bought a "Rockit" for about £35 on Amazon- amazing device that attaches to pram, car seat, baby hammock (!) etc & vibrates to keep baby asleep. Gives me about an extra 20 mins in shops, cafes, when we get home etc.. so well worth it in my opinion. :)

FortheloveofJames · 09/05/2018 18:49

My DS is a going to be one in 2 weeks and really only naps well in his cot. He will sleep
in pram but only if it’s also moving the whole time and only for a max of 45 mins. I’ve tried a snooze shade and the white noise we use at home but it makes no difference. It’s the way he is. Same in the car. He loves his cot and tbh I am very grateful for this. It is restrictive at times, but I choose to focus our days around it most of the time because without the naps he’s an overtired mess. It won’t be forever and I enjoy the rest while he’s sleeping. But I’ll always be envious of people having lunch with baby happily snoozing in a stationary pram

Cottipus · 10/05/2018 14:02

I’ve a 4.5 month old who is a fussy sleeper too!

Hates being in her crib in the daytime, and has to nap on the go. So pram, car seat etc. And she has to be kept moving or will wake within 5 mins.

She is actually great in a carrier- after a bit of wandering around/bouncing/noseying at neighbouring tables in a coffee shop she will eventually drop off. So if you haven’t already tried babywearing it might be worth a go! Plus I can get some simple jobs done round the house when she’s in the carrier.

Lemondrop99 · 10/05/2018 18:23

FortheloveofJames...are you me?! You literally just described my DS!!

arbrighton · 10/05/2018 20:33

It's a crap age as it's the middle of the first sleep regression most likely

My DS now will sleep in his pushchair beautifully for up to 2 hours while I get on in the garden. He's now 10 mo and I haven't done anything except feed to sleep when that worked, hold him when he wanted it, rock him when that worked and now, apparently put him down, rock the pram/ pat him a bit and off to sleep he goes. Sometimes. On a good day. When the moon is blue

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